This years’ 14 & Under LC Junior Olympic Championships
was held at SODA Aquatics Center, Moraga and featured the fastest
age group swimmers from our LSC (Pacific Swimming). The competition
was very, very fast and to reach finals swimmers had to make top 8
in their individual event (single age) and usually needed to swim
at least a ‘AAAA’ time, the highest USA-Swimming
motivational time standard.

It was a long and hot 3 days with swimmers and coaches arriving at
7:30am
and not leaving before 8pm
(some of them) in over 90 degree Fahrenheit weather.

We had an outstanding meet with Bailey, Paige, Sophie, Simon and
Maddie as PSTs’ individual qualifiers and our 11-12 year old
boys competing in the 200 Free and Medley relay.

Bailey
(11) had a fantastic meet in achieving new personal best times in
the 50 Fly and as lead swimmer in the 50 Freestyle. He missed the
12 year old FarWestern cut by only 0.01 seconds.

Paige
(11) had a great meet, dropping time in 5 of her 7 events,
achieving new FarWestern cuts in the 200 Backstroke and 200
Breaststroke. After coming 9th in the 50 Breaststroke on
Friday and 10th in the 100 on
Saturday, she finally qualified on
Sunday for the 200 Breaststroke final. In an amazing
final, Paige dropped another 2 seconds and came 5th
overall!

Sophie
(12) had a fantastic start to the meet on
Friday in qualifying for the 50 Freestyle final where
she came 5th overall in an incredible close final that separated
the top 5 by less than 0.8 seconds. On
Sunday she managed to drop time in her 50 Fly and
achieved a new FarWestern cut!

Simon
(12) was swimming 7 events over three days and qualified for finals
in 6 of them! He dropped time in all of his events, in both the
prelims and finals and
won
the 100 and 50 Backstroke. All his races were brilliant and while
the 100 was a nail biter until the end, separating 1st and 2nd by
0.1 seconds, he dominated the 50 Backstroke. His 50 time is
currently ranking him
10th
in the United States in his age group!

Maddie
(13) had an interesting start to the meet, feeling unwell, she
still dropped time in her 200 IM and 100 Freestyle, however missed
out on finals by a hair. One day
later, on
Sunday, she came back refreshed and recovered and had
an outstanding 400 Freestyle, breaking 5min and making her the
fastest PST 400 freestyler (male or female)! In her 50 freestyle,
just before the 400, she qualified for finals and achieved
her
first Sectionals
cut! Interestingly enough, Maddie swam the exact same time in the
finals again, placing 7th overall.

On
Friday night, at about 7:25pm,
our 11-12 year old boys, with Bailey (11), Jack (12), Simon (12)
and Parker (12), used their last chance to qualify for FarWesterns
in the 200 Freestyle relay. Each relay swimmer dropped a lot of
time and made this huge accomplishment possible. Congrats
boys!

As a coach this was one of the most exciting and fastest meets we
have attended and I am very proud of what our swimmer have
achieved, both individually and in the relays. I was impressed on
how our swimmers managed to stay focused, motivated and happy
during those very long and hot days! Congratulations to all
swimming and we are now looking forward to FarWesterns in just over
2 weeks time in Concord.